R22 takes off with pilot in pursuit and crashes.
 

FAA: Helicopter lifted off on its own with pilot clinging to side

Monday, November 30, 2009 | Anne-Margaret Swary

Posted on Monday, November 30, 2009 3:17:54 AM by jsh3180

The helicopter that crashed near Robbie's Marina Saturday afternoon reportedly lifted off on its own before crashing into the water, according to both the Federal Aviation Administration and an employee at Robbie's Marina in Islamorada.
The pilot of the helicopter, registered to G S Helicopters Inc. of Islamorada, reportedly made an emergency landing on Indian Key Historic State Park around 2:30 p.m. Saturday because he was experiencing problems with the aircraft, said Kathleen Bergen, communications manager for FAA's Southern Region.
The uninhabited, 10-acre island is located several hundred yards south of U.S. 1 near Mile Marker 78 and includes a large open lot in the center, often referred to as the old town square.
When the pilot got out to inspect the tail rotor, the helicopter reportedly started to lift off on its own, Bergen said.
An employee at Robbie's Marina said the pilot told rescuers that he ran back toward the cockpit and tried to get inside before the helicopter lifted about 50 feet to 70 feet in the air. As he held on to the side, the aircraft's erratic movements knocked him off and he fell, breaking his arm.
The helicopter crashed moments later in about four feet of water near the dock at Indian Key.
The pilot was found laying in shallow water near the edge of the coral surrounding the island.
A boat from Robbie's Marina was dispatched to bring the elderly man, whose name and exact age were unavailable, back to shore, where he was met by emergency personnel and taken to the hospital. The helicopter, an R22 model manufactured by Robinson Helicopter Co, will be removed from the water by the U.S. Coast Guard, Bergen said. The FAA is investigating.

Whoops!!:ok:

Weight & balance issues methinks!!! and only a broken arm - Lucky man.

I'll give you 10:1 odds he landed to relieve himself.

There was a game capture pilot that had the same problem...
Landed to refuel, didn't idle down and forgot to lock the collective down properly...

One desperate phone call later claiming a ghost flew off with his heli...
:ok:

It just goes to prove that Robinson pilots aren't even safe outside the cockpit!

OK, to quote somebody else, I'll get my coat...........!!

Anyone notice the name of the nearby marina?

That's the third N registered R22 accident this year without anyone at the controls which has subsequently got airborne all on its own.

You mean there are people still getting out of helicopters without someone at the controls or without shutting down? Are these people crazy ? This happens too many times, don't people learn from other peoples mistakes?

That's one helluva stable R22 - "50-70 feet in the air" with no pilot :confused:

that's better than a lot 22's WITH a pilot :E

Ah well. I guess he is making the world a safer place by reducing the number of R22s in circulation.

So, not only did he have to get out with nobody at the controls, but didn't he also have to not set the collective friction, not turn the governor off, and not roll the throttle down below 80%?

Inspecting the Tail Rotor
 

Obviously had a strobe light or some other tachy-illumination device, otherwise he'd just get dizzy. Perhaps he was dizzy and that is why he exited an aircraft with the rotors and engine still running!

MrT says: Foool, that's why I don't like flying!

Maybe i'm missing something here,but "When the pilot got out to inspect the tail rotor, the helicopter reportedly started to lift off on its own".....just how much of an inspection of a tail rotor can one expect to do at flight idle??!:eek:.

SYH.

I'll bet with those odds.

I guess he is kicking himself now for trying to save the 0.2 on the Hobbs...

R22 poh

SECTION 2 LIMITATIONS


minimum crew is one pilot

i guess it's correct !

R

FH1100 Pilot said;
 

Yep!

But you beat me to it! http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/v.../happy0009.gif

Hmmm, it seems Flordia is having it's fair share of "odd" accidents this week....

But, let's give the benefit of the doubt to the pilot. Perhaps he did land and shut down, but just forgot to turn off the mags. Then, as he "inspected" the tail rotor, he accidently "hand propped" it, and off it went on its own! It's unfortunately common in the fixed wing world...

Why has no-one yet posted "What a f****g imbecile"???????????

Cos he was.

Assuming, that is, that the throttle hadn't wound itself from idle to open on its own, the guvnor hadn't switched itself on, the collective friction hadn't let itself off etc etc.

Which they didn't, obviously.

Own goal, imbecile.